Mounting means for amusement devices



Jan. 11, 1955 J. s. EVANS 2,699,310 MOUNTING MEANS FOR AMUSEMENT DEVICES Original Filed June '7, 1946 IN V EN TOR.

M BY 49% a. Baal/Z FITTU/P/Vf United States Patent 0 2,699,310 MUUNTING MEANS FOR AMUSEMENT DEVICES James S. Evans, San Marino, Calif.

1946, Serial No. 675,212. this application December 2, 1949, Serial Original application June 7,

Divided and N 0. 131,283

2 Claims. (Cl. 248-493) so amusement devices of the whirling frame type which are designed for the amusement and pleasure of small children.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 675,212, filed June 7, 1946, now abandoned.

()ne of the objects of the present invention is to provide novel mounting means for an amusement device of the whirling frame type whereby the riding qualities of said device will be greatly improved and the pleasure derived therefrom by the riders thereof will be mate- Another object is to members of provide a novel resilient adhere by a vacuum grip The above and further objects and novel features of v the invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description when the same is read in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be exth' 1 claim In the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a whirl-around amusement device embodying mounting members constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical central section of one of the mounting members shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical central section of a modified form of mounting member embodying the present invention.

Inasmuch as the novel mounting members contemplated by the present invention are particularly adapted for use in connection with amusement devices of the whirling frame type, said mounting members will be described in their application to such a device. It will bration, and other purposes.

Referring now to Fig. l of the drawings, there is shown a whirlaround amusement device of the general type disclosed in my co-pending application serial No. 80

663,078, filed April 18, 1946, which issued as U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,516,049, July 18, 1950. It will be underood that the exact construction of this device as hereinafter described, is not to be construed as a limitation since the mounting members are applicable to amusement devices of the same type but of other constructions. As shown, the whirlaround amusement device comprises a supporting base indicated generally at 5 and consisting of a central bracket 6 having secured therein corresponding ends of a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially extending legs or rods 7, four of the latter being shown. Base 5 fixedly supports a vertically extending mast 8 which, in turn, supports and guides a whirling frame 9 for rotation about said mast in a horizontal plane. Frame 9 is provided at opposite ends thereof with seats 10, and rotation is imparted to said frame by a child occupying one of said seats through a crank handle 11, a pulley (not shown) secured to said handle, a fixed pulley 12 secured to base 5, and an endless belt 13 passing around said pulleys. For a more detailed dearound amusement device, reference may be had to my above-mentioned co-pending application.

Attached to the free end of each of the legs 7 of base 5 is a resilient mounting member, indicated generally at 14, whereby the amusement same for a purpose to appear hereafter. If desired, ball 15 may be formed with a reinforcing layer or layers of fabric. Ball 15 is filled or infl ated with compressed air of a pressure which is vulcanized or otherwlse suitably secured to said ball. it will be understood that the use of other fluids under pressure in place of compressed air in ball 15 is contemplated. Ball 15 has formed integrally therewith a vacuum cup base 18 so that the mounting member 14 will ed on said fitting and engage external and internal annular hubs 24 and 25, respectively, on said ball to form an air tight seal. Plate 23 also serves as a cover for the inner open end of fitting 21 to prevent the escape of air from ball 15 through said fitting. To further insure against leakage of air from ball 15 through the fitting connections 22, 23, plates 22 and 23 are formed with annular beads 26 and 27, respectively, which surround the hubs 24 and 25, respectively, and are pressed into the Wall of ball 15.

Disposed within ball 15 is a buffer 28 formed of rela- 21 and receives therein the upper of butter 28.

It is important to note that by merely varying the air in the respective mounting members 14, the action of the amusement device under the weight of the riders on the whirling frame 9 thereof may be controlled to a desired degree. Accordingly, by employing mounting members 14 with different air pressures at alternate points, the amusement device will yield under the weight of the riders a greater extent at the lower air pressure points than it would yield at the higher air pressure points. Under these conditions, as the end of the whirling frame 9 with a rider thereon approaches and moves over the lower air pressure points, the amusement device will descend or drop at said points under the weight of the rider, and as said frame approaches and moves over the higher air pressure points said device will be raised at said latter points, thus not only giving the rider a pleasing and enjoyable rolling wave-like or up and d motion while he fortable cushioned ride as well.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 3, the mounting member 14 is formed to receive a base plate 31 pressure yielding of solid or rigid material so that said member may be substituted for the vacuum cup ty pe illustrated in Fig. 2 when the amusement device is 111- stalled at places having a gravel or other rough anduneven foundation where the vacuum cup type is neither practical nor desirable. Plate 31 is formed with a central externally threaded hub 32 which is threaded into an internally threaded ring 33 that is disposed within an annular pocket 34 formed in ball and is vulcanized or otherwise suitably secured to said ball. Except for the above described differences in the construction, the mounting member 14 illustrated in Fig. 3 is the same in construction and operation as the mounting member 14 illustrated in Fig. 2 and hereinbefore described.

There is thus provided an amusement device of the whirling frame type having novel resilient means for yieldingly supporting said device at a plurality of circumferentially spaced points, whereby the rider or riders thereof will receive a more comfortable cushioned ride and a pleasing and enjoyable rolling wave-like or up and down motion as well while they are in whirling motion. The resilient mounting members utilize compressed air as the load supporting medium, and the resiliency or yielding action thereof may be varied to any desired degree to obtain various riding results by varying the air pressure therein. Additionally, the resilient mounting members are simple and durable in construction and may be easily and inexpensively manufactured.

Although two embodiments of the invention have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described is in whirling motion, but a more com 4 in the foregoing specification, it is to be expressly understood that said invention is not limited to said embodiments or to the specific use thereof. Various changes may be made therein, particularly in the de sign and arrangement of the parts illustrated, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention,

For example, a loose ball of solid rubber, resting on the inner surface of the lower wall portion of ball 15, or an upwardly projecting rubber block formed integrally with ball 15, may be substituted for the downwardly projecting, plate carried buffer 28. For a definition of the limits of the invention, reference is had primarily to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A pneumatic support comprising a hollow ball formed of a flexible material and having a thickened through said hubs and said wall wall portion at the top thereof provided with internal and external annular hubs presenting flat surfaces on said ball internally and externally thereof, a fitting having an externally threaded portion extending into said ball through an opening formed in and extending portion, fiat internal and external annular plates threaded onto said fitting and clamped against said internal and external hubs, respectively, for securing said fitting to said ball in airtight relation, the internal plate having an annular groove in the upper surface thereof and the portion of said plate defining the outer wall of said groove being threaded to receive said fitting, said internal and external plates each having a projecting annular bead thereon surrounding the respective annular hub and embedded in said wall portion, and a valve secured to said ball for introducing air under pressure therein.

2. A pneumatic support as defined in claim 1, comprising a buffer block of yieldable material secured in a socket formed in the lower surface of the internal plate and projecting downwardly therefrom for limiting the extent of yielding movement of the ball.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,003,579 Bancroft Sept. 19, 1911 1,111,739 Davis Sept. 29, 1914 1,159,799 Roberts Nov. 9, 1915 1,644,683 Lepiert Oct. 11, 1927 2,187,524 Price Jan. 16, 1940 2,435,466 Thomas Feb. 3, 1948 2,500,531 Eger Mar. 14, 1950 

